3 reasons why employers should promote tree planting

Employers encounter several challenges in keeping workers happy, engaged and thriving. Often, inadequate workplace communication undermines the very effort to maintain harmony and cooperation among workers. Creativity can be used however, to turn potential mines into gold. Key among these is the simple exercise of tree planting.

We all know the obvious benefits of tree planting such as provision of food (fruits), landscape restoration and environmental nurture. For the employer through a creative human resource manager, tree planting can mean an opportunity to:

1. Promote team dynamics and manage conflict: wherever people are, even at the family level, conflicts happen. They are a part of life, and a part of the business. People have different opinions, and while some will accept others’ opinions, others will feel their opinion is more important than the rest. Unmanaged conflict can lead to poor employee morale, performance, productivity and mood.

To overcome this, creating an open environment where employees can express themselves in a structured way is important. Tree planting can be that opportunity. As people plan, ask questions, receive feedback about the event, communication begins to take shape. On the day itself, people can be given specific questions to discuss and by so doing address negative attitudes and some of the biggest challenges at work.

• Change bad health habits: reporting late to work, incomplete assignments and bad dressing habits are some of the things that human resource professionals consistently must address. However, telling a colleague they are improperly dressed, or they ought to brush their teeth can be embarrassing for both parties. During an informal occasion like tree planting event, these things can be discussed without creating a sense of shame or embarrassment.
• Loneliness and isolation: Often, people feel lonely in a crowd. Being lonely is that distressing feeling of being alone or separated. Social isolation means having no one to interact with on a regular basis. Many workers go through these feelings affecting their productivity. In promoting mental wellness, the human resource professional must ensure that employees are both mentally and physically healthy to be productive at work.

This is a third reason why tree planting as an organized activity becomes important. As employees plant trees in teams, sharing develops, new friendships emerge and people develop working groups in doubles and trios. They may learn to be accountable to each other and eventually become vulnerable to each other. Loneliness and isolation are slowly wiped away.

When the late Nobel Laurate Prof Wangari Maathai, began the Green Belt Movement (GBM) in 1977, it was in response to a crisis. At the National Council of Women of Kenya, where she was actively involved, the rural women were reporting constantly that their streams were drying up, their food supply was threatened. Besides, they had to walk further and further to get firewood for fuel and fencing.

Being a well-read scientist with a solution-oriented mind, she creatively led a conversation to persuade the women to grow seedlings and plant trees to bind the soil, encouraged them to store rainwater and above all work together as they do these things. Eventually, she and those working with her, were able to raise some money to pay a token to the women for their work and they were by so doing, able to provide food and firewood for their families.

As the work progressed, Professor Maathai realized that behind the daily hardships of environmental degradation, deforestation, and food insecurity, were communities that no longer worked together to protect their environment for their mutual benefit. She encouraged the individuals to self-examine why they lacked the will to change their political, economic, and environmental circumstances. It is this questioning as they work together that continues to bind the members of the Green Belt Movement to date.

As a proud member and former Chair of the Green Belt Movement, I have a thousand reasons why we should plant trees. Start planning for the next rainy season for us to plant many trees.